Firmware update with login ID

[Ba Erv]

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3 hours ago, jcm0 said:

What about the idea to :

ask for a code to start-up the camera after N battery changes

+

a message displayed until the shutter is half pressed at (each) startup time on rear screen indicating that “the camera is code protected”

+

the option to activate this mode and choose the N value in the camera parameters menu

+ 

the possibility to reset the counter counting up to N to zero by entering the code (for example: I don’t want to be bothered today by this feature, so I reset the counter at the start of my important shooting day) ?

🙂

 

 

 

All good ideas.

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[Segal]

On a serious note, being able to remotely lock a stolen camera would solve many issues without requiring logins or biometrics. Camera thefts are rare, so you'd want to focus on making life inconvenient for thieves and not for customers.

[Ba Erv]

14 hours ago, Segal said:

On a serious note, being able to remotely lock a stolen camera would solve many issues without requiring logins or biometrics. Camera thefts are rare, so you'd want to focus on making life inconvenient for thieves and not for customers.

That sounds good in theory but that's going to require a wifi connection of some sort.  Personally, the wifi has never been used on any of my cameras.

[Kwesi]

On 8/10/2022 at 4:26 AM, Ba Erv said:

Anyone have thoughts on a firmware update requiring a Login ID when the camera is turned on?  I had another camera theft attempt today and it started me thinking.  If Leica could add this to the firmware it might discourage theft and protect the images on the internal memory.  Someone might still steal the camera but it would be useless.

I don’t think a log in ID will discourage theft since the thief doesn’t know beforehand that it’s there and enabled. On the other hand a built in AirTag device could make locating a stolen or lost camera pretty quick and simple. 

[Ba Erv]

8 minutes ago, Kwesi said:

I don’t think a log in ID will discourage theft since the thief doesn’t know beforehand that it’s there and enabled. On the other hand a built in AirTag device could make locating a stolen or lost camera pretty quick and simple. 

Theft is only one of the two things I initially mentioned.  I agree that the first time they steal a useless camera it wouldn’t be known; the next one would be an understood waste of their time.  
 

[THEME]

On 8/10/2022 at 4:00 PM, idusidusi said:

I would find that bad enough to sell all my gear if that sort of thing was implemented.

You sell your iPhone because it offers this function? This should be basic stuff in pricey electronics.

[Gelatino]

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1 hour ago, Kwesi said:

 On the other hand a built in AirTag device could make locating a stolen or lost camera pretty quick and simple. 

Only if the camera remains in the tag detection coverage area which is often very limited, specially if the robber is a marathon/100m recordman type.😭

Edited August 12, 2022 by Gelatino

[idusidusi]

1 hour ago, THEME said:

You sell your iPhone because it offers this function? This should be basic stuff in pricey electronics.

Given up so-called 'smartphone'.

[Photoworks]

this is non starter for Leica. most of the people using them don't cry how expensive it is. they cry if the change the M look to much.

HAHA

in addition I would not trust Leica to create a security software correctly, security is hard for the experts  and Leica so no good record in creating software in my book.

 

 

[Segal]

9 hours ago, Ba Erv said:

That sounds good in theory but that's going to require a wifi connection of some sort.  Personally, the wifi has never been used on any of my cameras.

I',m not saying it'd be easy, but it wouldn't necessarily require a WiFi or a cellular connection - it could use the same approach Tile or Apple Tag use. Of course, Leica would have to partners with someone with a big enough coverage like Apple, Tile or Samsung. 

Essentially, if you'd get a stolen camera in a.proximity of a device that is part of that respective mesh network (iPhones, for example, are everywhere in the US), it'd get a signal to disable the device in a same manner an Apple Tag can beep when lost.

Again, not easy, would require a collaboration with other companies and can't be retroactively added to existing cameras.

[Kwesi]

6 hours ago, Ba Erv said:

Theft is only one of the two things I initially mentioned.  I agree that the first time they steal a useless camera it wouldn’t be known; the next one would be an understood waste of their time.  
 

I don't think the thieves even know how to turn on the cameras they steal. Its just a quick dollar for them. It gets sold to someone who knows they are getting a stolen camera and don't care because of the ridiculously low price or some unsuspecting shlub who who is too stupid to question why the camera is being offered at such a ridiculously low price. Here in the States people are duped like this daily on craigslist.

[Ba Erv]

2 hours ago, Segal said:

I',m not saying it'd be easy, but it wouldn't necessarily require a WiFi or a cellular connection - it could use the same approach Tile or Apple Tag use. Of course, Leica would have to partners with someone with a big enough coverage like Apple, Tile or Samsung. 

Essentially, if you'd get a stolen camera in a.proximity of a device that is part of that respective mesh network (iPhones, for example, are everywhere in the US), it'd get a signal to disable the device in a same manner an Apple Tag can beep when lost.

Again, not easy, would require a collaboration with other companies and can't be retroactively added to existing cameras.

I understand your thoughts and suggestions but in my particular use scenario it would be pretty much useless.  I’m sometimes exposed to risk in areas that aren’t exactly technologically developed.  In the meantime, I remain hopeful that camera manufacturers will develop some rudimentary security that even the cheapest smartphones employ.

[Segal]

I wonder if having Find My enabled by default has helped curb the theft of iPhones. I couldn't find any data past 2014, and I guess it would be unreliable anyway with pandemic and all.

[Ba Erv]

Just now, Segal said:

I wonder if having Find My enabled by default has helped curb the theft of iPhones. I couldn't find any data past 2014, and I guess it would be unreliable anyway with pandemic and all.

No clue, I only carry cheap burner phones in notoriously bad areas.

[Segal]

4 minutes ago, Ba Erv said:

No clue, I only carry cheap burner phones in notoriously bad areas.

I guess, if it's a really bad area, they can just sell it for parts, it's still worth something.

[Ba Erv]

1 minute ago, Segal said:

I guess, if it's a really bad area, they can just sell it for parts, it's still worth something.

I guess it’s possible but I don’t think there’s much of a market for bootleg Leica parts; they’re too complicated for anyone but skilled repair people.  

[Photoworks]

6 hours ago, Segal said:

I',m not saying it'd be easy, but it wouldn't necessarily require a WiFi or a cellular connection - it could use the same approach Tile or Apple Tag use. Of course, Leica would have to partners with someone with a big enough coverage like Apple, Tile or Samsung. 

Essentially, if you'd get a stolen camera in a.proximity of a device that is part of that respective mesh network (iPhones, for example, are everywhere in the US), it'd get a signal to disable the device in a same manner an Apple Tag can beep when lost.

Again, not easy, would require a collaboration with other companies and can't be retroactively added to existing cameras.

I did the mistake once when getting on a 9h flight and changing the SIM card in the iPhone ...

the phone needed to confirm with apple if I was allowed. there was no connection in the clouds, wifi needed verification and I was not an option, so the iPhone became unusable for the rest of the flight, I was not even able to listen to music, just lock me out...

Imagine you go in an area that has no internet, you came is bricked... I suppose the lenses are fine.

Great idea!  Maybe we can put a stink bomb in it, or that blue ink... HAHA

[Siriusone59]

38 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

 

Great idea!  Maybe we can put a stink bomb in it, or that blue ink... HAHA

I kind of like those glitter bombs that people are arming their packages with...to deter the porch pirates.😉

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[Segal]

1 hour ago, Photoworks said:

I did the mistake once when getting on a 9h flight and changing the SIM card in the iPhone ...

the phone needed to confirm with apple if I was allowed. there was no connection in the clouds, wifi needed verification and I was not an option, so the iPhone became unusable for the rest of the flight, I was not even able to listen to music, just lock me out...

Imagine you go in an area that has no internet, you came is bricked... I suppose the lenses are fine.

Great idea!  Maybe we can put a stink bomb in it, or that blue ink... HAHA

Well, that's a bit different, isn't it? I'm not asking for a camera to connect every time to confirm it's not stolen, I just want it to check every now and then if it is stolen  E.g. no response - everything's fine, got a "this serial number reported stolen" response - lock itself until delivered to an authorized service. 

Your case is the exact opposite of a phone checking with the existing provider if it can use a SIM card from a different provider - that'd be the case of a system inconveniencing legitimate users more than thieves just so AT&T and Verizon can keep you from switching to a different service without talking to them first (Happened to my kids' unlocked phone while traveling too just two weeks ago).

[Ba Erv]

Personally, I’m not interested in adding more outside technology dependence on my camera.  What I want is two firmware additions. #1. the user ability to enable/disable the camera with password protection.  #2. The ability to enable/disable image review on the internal memory.  

If someone steals or otherwise acquires the camera it’s useless without the password.  If someone tries to view the images they’re met with a disabled playback button unless they know a specific button push sequence.  The later being a priority.  
 

Being able to hand some border guard in Myanmar, Balkans, Ukraine, etc. an  SD card with pictures of cats copied from the M11 Imagery thread (satire) is a little less risky than photos of human rights abuses that embarrassment governments.  
 

I realize this is a pipe dream but it’s preferable to micro SD cards and Vaseline.